


Waiting for a Train

by kedgeree



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Dream Meandering, Interactive Fiction, M/M, Mini Text Adventure, Trains, Valentine's Day Fic Not About Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:13:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 2,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kedgeree/pseuds/kedgeree
Summary: You're in a mini interactive text adventure. You're waiting for a train. Your conductor is called Eames.
Relationships: Arthur/Eames (Inception)
Comments: 62
Kudos: 62
Collections: Eames' Stupid Cupid 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jesterthepink](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jesterthepink/gifts).



> Happy Valentine's Day! This...thing I have made...is for toomuchpink's prompt "they swap roles" and...this is what I have made! I hope you like it! <3
> 
> This is an interactive text adventure, so don't go chapter to chapter, because 1) it won't make any sense and 2) spoilers! Follow the links at the end of each chapter!
> 
> Have fun!

_"Arthur!"_

_"This shouldn't be happening!"_

_"Fix it!"_

_"I don't know how! He's too deep! He's going—"_

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You're waiting for a train.

You don't know where you're going.

You are alone.

> [RIDE](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54289012)


	2. Chapter 2

"Here now, young man, let's get you into costume!"

Eames hustles you across the aisle to a compartment filled with coats and scarves and hats and boots and jewelry. There's a mirrored vanity and trunks stacked on trunks and skis in the corner and a shelf of wigs and a black thing that looks like a Batman cowl. Eames dives in, rummages furiously, and emerges with two items.

"Put this on. It will look tidy and bring out your eyes."

He hands you a burgundy sweater vest.

"And this is for your notes."

It's a black Moleskine notebook. The cover feels soft. It fits perfectly in your hand.

"There! You'll make a good impression, darling, don't worry. Now, let's see, what's first on your schedule…?"

> [CHEMISTRY](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54289234) > [SHOP](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54288310)


	3. Chapter 3

You run through the streets of Paris, past smells of fresh bread and bakers who lunge out of their bakeries to try to bludgeon you with baguettes, past street artists who try to stab or discolor you with their paintbrushes, past grocers who pelt you with produce. Eames trips a tourist intent on garroting him with her fanny pack. You lure a boy trying to run you down with his scooter through a puddle, sending him sliding across slick cobblestones.

It's awesome.

When finally you're alone, panting for breath in a narrow alley, you start to laugh.

Eames starts to laugh, too.

He kisses you.

He's breathing hard.

He kisses you again.

The ground rumbles underneath you.

"Train," he murmurs against your mouth. There's a sign on the corner, scrolled wrought iron surrounding a red plaque that reads METRO.

Eames kisses you again. His bow tie is askew.

You can hear people shouting, still searching for you. And there's music, too. You can't make out the words, but the song is low and throaty and familiar. So familiar it aches. You look at Eames's face, flushed with exertion and excitement, in the faint yellow glow of the street lights.

And you know.

The ground rumbles.

> [CATCH THE TRAIN](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54289111)


	4. Chapter 4

The locker room is empty. It smells like sweat. There's a pile of damp towels on the concrete floor.

Eames pushes you against a locker and kisses you. "This is chemistry," he says. He kisses you again. "Darling."

The train whistle sounds again, louder this time.

"Bugger," Eames sighs. "We really will miss the train."

> [RUN FOR IT](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54288625)


	5. Chapter 5

Eames straightens his conductor's hat and jacket. His white shirt lies crumpled on the floor next to his blue pants. There is a tattoo of a pineapple peeking out of his white shorts. He looks ridiculous. He doesn't seem to care.

It's not at all endearing.

He is shamelessly, gleefully brandishing a striped shirt and a black beret.

"Costume! Can you guess our next stop, darling?"

You can, so you smack the beret out of his hand and drag him into the wardrobe compartment to show him how costume is done properly.

> [PARIS](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54288835)


	6. Chapter 6

The locker room is empty. It smells like sweat. There's a pile of damp towels on the concrete floor.

Eames pushes you against a locker and kisses you. He slides one hand under your shirt. "Let's get you out of this vest, then," he murmurs against your neck.

The train whistle sounds again, louder this time.

"Bugger," Eames sighs. "We really will miss the train."

> [RUN FOR IT](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54288625)


	7. Chapter 7

Eames deserves to be shown off.

Specificity: Eames deserves to be shown off by you. Eames is with you.

You haven't seen many other people on this journey, you realize. That's odd. But the museum gallery is filled with pretty, glittery people and you steer Eames in that direction. Somehow it feels like a natural place to take him. A place a strange, sexy train conductor would fit right in.

Eames fits right in.

He seems to know a lot about art.

"Hmm, yes, Rodin painted this during his grey period," he informs a fellow patron, a man wearing a silk ascot. "See here, the signs of age in the hair." The man nods and agrees and they both say "hmm" again.

The painting is of a red square.

"And the contours of the bodies, intertwined!" Eames exclaims.

"Stunning!" agrees the man beside him.

A work on the far wall catches your eye. It's a black and white piece, a lithograph, depicting a staircase that seems…impossible. You like it.

You want to show Eames, but he seems to have disappeared.

Ascot is waving a glass of champagne at the red square and telling the woman beside him about the contours.

"Hmm," she says, nodding.

"Got you a present, darling!" Eames appears at your side, tapping your arm with some sort of paper tube. "I saw you looking."

You partially unroll it. It's the impossible staircase.

You didn't know the museum had a gift shop.

"Uh oh," says Eames.

An alarm sounds, and all the gallery patrons swivel their heads in your direction.

Eames dodges a blow from the ascot man, tears his arm away from a security guard, and shouts, "Run!"

> [RUN!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54287830)


	8. Chapter 8

The train jumps the tracks in the middle of an icy bridge high, high between two mountains, and plummets.

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_"[Darling!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54288466)"_


	9. Chapter 9

"Shop? Really? You'll muss your lovely vest! It's not a class about buying things. You know that, right? If you wanted a different outfit you need only have asked and…what are you staring at?" Eames looks down at his own outfit and then grins proudly. "Oh! I'm the quarterback!"

He's wearing a red jersey with white stripes on the arms and a big white number 69 on the front. He's carrying a soccer ball.

"There's Ariadne!" Eames waves at a woman with long brown hair and a gold scarf. She's petite and her dark eyes are serious. "We have a new student. He wants a nicer vest."

Ariadne frowns. "Today we're making chess pieces. Bishops, specifically. I only make bishops. If you aren't familiar with a lathe, just watch."

Ariadne makes fourteen metal bishops. After the first one, it gets a little boring.

Eames's football uniform has white shorts.

A wad of paper hits you in the side of the face. It reads: Meet me in the locker room?

In the distance, you hear the sound of a train whistle.

> [HELL YES LOCKER ROOM](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54288055) > [BUT WE'LL MISS THE TRAIN](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54288625)


	10. Chapter 10

Eames deserves to be shown off.

Specificity: Eames deserves to be shown off by you. Eames is with you.

You haven't seen many other people on this journey, you realize. That's odd. But the casino is filled with pretty, glittery people and you steer Eames in that direction. Somehow it feels like a natural place to take him. A place a strange, sexy train conductor would fit right in.

Eames fits right in.

He's incredibly lucky. He gets two royal flushes in a row.

"Perhaps you can find a game with dice," he suggests at one point, giving you rather an intent look. "Oh, look, four aces!"

The dealer frowns.

Eames's fellow players mutter.

You don't see any games with dice. But it doesn't really matter, because Eames's exclamation of "What's this? Four more aces!" is followed by, "Uh oh."

He breaks out of the headlock the passing waiter has put him in, dodges the angry players converging on his table, and shouts, "Run!"

> [RUN!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54287830)


	11. Chapter 11

You're waiting for a train.

You are not alone. He takes your hand in his.

You know exactly where you're going.

> [RIDE](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54289516)


	12. Chapter 12

Eames's eyebrows shoot up. "Straight to business then, is it? But then, why should that surprise me?"

The brim of his cap bumps your forehead. His mouth is soft and warm, and he pulls away reluctantly, but he gives you only one kiss.

"Time for that later, darling," he says. His voice is rougher than it was before. "Mustn't be late for your first day."

He clears his throat, tugs his jacket down, and reaches up to pull the chain of a large gold bell at the side of the compartment. As it clangs, he takes a deep breath and shouts, "FIRST STOP! HIGH SCHOOL!"

> [WHAT? I DON'T WANT TO GO TO HIGH—](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54287761)


	13. Chapter 13

You catch the train in front of the school.

When he steps on board, Eames is dressed in his conductor's hat, white shirt, and blue jacket once again, but his blue pants lie discarded in the aisle. In their place, he's wearing his white school shorts.

"I hope you learned something today, darling," he says primly.

You feel like you might have, although you aren't quite sure what it was.

Eames has a tattoo of a soccer ball on his calf that you're sure wasn't there before. You spent enough time looking at his legs to know.

"But now classes are over. School's out, as they say, for summer." He reaches for the gold bell. "NEXT STOP, THE BEACH!"

> [WHO DOESN'T LOVE THE BEACH?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54289192)


	14. Chapter 14

The sky is pink and gold and purple as the sun sinks into the horizon.

The air smells of coconut oil.

You wriggle your toes. See? You can relax.

Would it be so bad to stay here forever? Relaxing? You could stay here forever.

"Do you know me?" Eames asks quietly. His eyes look shadowed in the light of the setting sun.

He's…the conductor? He could stay here with you.

Eames nods silently and stares at the ocean for a long time as the sky darkens. Finally he says, "Time to go, darling. We have to take the night train."

You aren't staying forever.

Did you say something wrong?

You don't feel relaxed anymore.

Eames touches your hand and smiles. "It's okay. You'll like it."

> [CATCH THE NIGHT TRAIN](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54287968)


	15. Chapter 15

Okay, sure, you look good, but Eames… Eames is…

"You clean up quite well yourself," Eames purrs. He adjusts one of the cuffs of his tuxedo and winks. "Darling."

_Comme c'est bon._

Anyway…Paris!

> [FANCY PARIS CASINO](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54288364) > [FANCY PARIS MUSEUM](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54288172)


	16. Chapter 16

"Oh, terribly smooth," Eames snorts into his pina colada. "No, no, no, don't you dare put that suntan lotion away! Don't you even dare. You have offered and I have accepted and that constitutes a binding contract. You wouldn't want to breach a contract, would you? You wouldn't want…"

You try to clap a hand over his mouth but you're too slow.

"A beach breach!" Eames cackles madly and then makes a sour face. "You taste like lotion."

You sigh.

Eames nudges you. "Beach breach."

He yelps when you squirt lotion on his stomach.

He's whimpering by the time it's all rubbed in.

"Oh, look." He points to the angle of the shadow his erection is casting across his white shorts. "It's almost sunset."

> [WATCH THE SUNSET](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54288682)


	17. Chapter 17

"An excellent choice." Eames says. He closes his eyes and breathes in the scent of the tea. "Ahhh, the smell of the mother land."

He presses the cup into your hands.

The smell is smoky and spicy. Bright morning sunlight flashes through the tall trees lining the tracks as the train passes.

"It will help relax you for your first day!"

He reaches up and pulls the chain of a large gold bell at the side of the compartment and as it clangs, takes a deep breath and shouts, "FIRST STOP! HIGH SCHOOL!"

> [WHAT? I DON'T WANT TO GO TO HIGH—](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54287761)


	18. Chapter 18

"Welcome aboard!"

The conductor winks. He's wearing a blue suit, a white shirt, and a blue cap. He looks strong and a little bit sweaty. He needs a shave.

"Here we are, seat 3704, make yourself comfortable, and I'll bring you a spot of refreshment to help you settle in. I'm Eames, by the way." He points to his name tag. "And what shall I call you?"

Eames waits.

Somewhere a metal door slams shut.

And then another.

And another.

The train groans into motion.

"Darling, then." Eames smiles. "So, darling…coffee, tea, or me?"

> [COFFEE](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54289282) > [TEA](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54288940) > [EAMES](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54288538)


	19. Chapter 19

Eames's jacket joins the pile of his other discarded uniform garments on the floor, and a new tattoo graces Eames's hip. It's a baguette. At least, you hope it's a baguette.

"I have a confession, darling," he says, standing there in his white shorts and blue cap. He's ridiculous. "I don't know what the next stop is."

It's okay. You do. It's the last stop.

The train is passing through the mountains now, tall, craggy, snow-topped, unforgiving.

Eames looks out the window, following your gaze. "Are you sure?"

You're sure.

"You'll need a costume," he says.

You know.

"I can't take you."

But he'll be with you.

He takes off his conductor's cap and holds it over his heart. He closes his eyes, then hands you the cap. "I'll be with you," he says.

There's a tattoo over his heart that says ARTHUR.

You put on the conductor's cap.

> [HOME](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54288247)


	20. Chapter 20

"You don't like the beach?" Eames looks scandalized as he crams a floppy straw hat on your head. "How is that even possible? And don't start about the sand. Exfoliation, you like that, don't you? Hold still. This is part of your costume." He squeezes sun cream onto his fingertips and starts blotting it on your nose.

It's stinky. You also smell fish. And there's probably already sand in your ass crack. Your ass crack doesn't require exfoliation.

"Stop frowning, darling. Your forehead will tan oddly. I know relaxation is not your specialty, but look around. It's a lovely day. Blue sky. Clear water." He waves down the beach. "Little children playing and such. Relaxing!"

There is indeed a little child playing.

He's all alone. The sun has bleached out his blond hair. He's been playing for a long time.

He squints up at you. "I need an architect," he says. There's a mound of sand in front of him. "But you aren't an architect."

He stands up and kicks over the mound of sand, then runs away.

You watch until he's a tiny speck, his golden hair blurring with the golden sand.

The beach sucks.

"Pina colada?" Eames asks brightly.

You turn around.

Eames is stretched out on a lounge chair, shirtless and gleaming, offering a frosty glass with a pineapple wedge on the rim

Maybe the beach isn't entirely terrible.

> [OFFER TO RUB SUNTAN LOTION ON EAMES](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54288886)

> [PULL UP A LOUNGE CHAIR AND WAIT FOR THE SUNSET](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54288682)


	21. Chapter 21

"Chemistry? Really? It's not the sort of chemistry we have, you know. It's more along the lines of 'what will the reaction be when a stick is inserted into mud' and not…what are you staring at?" Eames looks down at himself and then grins proudly. "Oh! I'm the quarterback!"

He's wearing a red jersey with white stripes on the arms and a big white number 69 on the front. He's carrying a soccer ball.

"Oh, there's Yusuf!" Eames waves at a man with curly black hair and a wrinkled linen suit. "Yusuf, we have a new student. He wants to learn about mud."

"Mud?" Yusuf's nose wrinkles. "I don't really teach…mud. I do, however, have a very interesting new compound I've been working on…"

Yusuf's compound isn't really all that interesting.

Eames's football uniform has white shorts.

A wad of paper hits you in the side of the face. It reads: Meet me in the locker room?

In the distance, you hear the sound of a train whistle.

> [HELL YES LOCKER ROOM](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54287851) > [BUT WE'LL MISS THE TRAIN](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54288625)


	22. Chapter 22

"Here we are, just the way you like it. One cream, one sugar." Eames blows gently across the rim of the cup. "I know, you say you like it black, but this how you actually like it."

He presses the cup into your hands. 

The coffee smells rich and delicious.

"You'll need to be alert for your first day, after all! Mustn't be late!"

He reaches up and pulls a chain attached to a large gold bell at the side of the compartment and as it clangs, takes a deep breath and shouts, "FIRST STOP! HIGH SCHOOL!"

> [WHAT? I DON'T WANT TO GO TO HIGH—](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704514/chapters/54287761)


	23. Chapter 23

**HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!**


End file.
